


Turtle Ducks

by VermeilH20



Series: Zutara Week 2018 [4]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Zutara, Zutara Week 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-20 03:53:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15525465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VermeilH20/pseuds/VermeilH20
Summary: A new relationship deepens, an old friendship is mended and everyone decides to spend the night getting sloshed by the pond.





	Turtle Ducks

The sound of turtle ducks squawking outside her window woke Katara. She padded over to the window and drew open the heavy curtains. According to the timekeeper, it was nearly ten again.

Well, after the late night she’d had, she was entitled a bit of sleeping in. A smile split her face as she remembered what had happened. A thought struck her. What if Zuko had missed breakfast, too? No way would they live it down.

Considering that Sokka hadn’t barged into her room screaming yet, she didn’t think so. Either that, or there was a perfectly good explanation why the world seemed to be continuing on like nothing momentous had happened. She began searching through the closet for something to wear. Finally settling on a dress that shimmered purple and blue when held against the light, she quickly did her hair. Before long, she was pushing open the door to the informal dining room, nervous.

Suki and Sokka were the only ones there. “Hey, sis.” Sokka waved from the table. “They just lay out the breakfast spread. We all decided to have a late breakfast.” He gestured to the heaping tower of food in front of him. “They even made stewed sea prunes! And some Earth Kingdom dish Suki likes.”

“They are dumplings, Sokka.”

“They don’t look like any dumplings I’ve ever seen.”

“That’s because they have vegetables. I don’t think you’ve ever seen a vegetable in your life.”

“Lies. I eat your stew.”

“Only after I mash the vegetables so you can’t feel them.”

“Still, tell her about how Aang made us go vegetarian for a week, Katara.”

Katara laughed. “You were sneaking seal jerky from my bag every two seconds.”

“I still ate all the vegetables, though.”

“Some, you ate some of the vegetables.” She turned to Suki. “He made faces at me and Toph the entire time.”

Suki laughed. “That sounds about right.”

“I can’t believe you would gang up on me like that.” He shook his chopsticks at them, a noodle smacking him right on the nose. He scowled when the two women bent over in peals of laughter.

“I promise you, he’s gotten a lot better in public. He even remembers to use the napkin when we go out.” Suki said.

“Speaking of going out, where were you last night?”

“Oh, there were some old waterbending scrolls in the library I was taking a look at.” Not technically a lie, since she had looked at them and they were now being copied by scribes. The fact that that had happened a few days ago was neither here nor there.

“You work too hard. You should come out with us tonight. We’re going to see a play.”

“That’s tomorrow.”

“Wait, then what are we doing tonight?”

“Toph wanted to take us to some underground fighting ring.”

“Hard pass. As future chief of the water tribes, I cannot be seen in such illicit places. Besides, I’ve had enough bloodshed to last me a lifetime.” Sokka said, quieter.

“Honey,” Suki gave him a hug. She knew how much it hurt. “We’ll find something else to do.”

“You know, we should just hang out, like old times.” Sokka said, brightening. “Get a bottle of something from somewhere.” He counted something on his fingers. “Make that three bottles of something, and just hang out by the turtleduck pond. Reacquainting ourselves.” He looked at Katara, shaking his head. “I’ve barely seen you since we got here, and its been a year and a half!”

“That sounds nice. I mean, I’m not going to be drinking, but still, it would be nice to see everyone again.”

“Still on that no-drinking kick?”

“If you’d seen what it does to people’s bodies, you wouldn’t be putting it in your mouth, either.” Katara huffed. This was a long standing contention between the two.

“Well, I haven’t and I don’t plan to. So, we’ll wait until everyone else gets here then let them know about our grand plan.”

Katara’s heartbeat quickened. “Sure, no problem.” She sat down across from them and began digging into her plate.

Ty Lee was the next to show up, excitedly waving. “Katara, you made it to breakfast again!” She plunked into a chair at the head of the table. Toph and Mai followed, in surprisingly deep conversation. Zuko and Aang came in after them, Aang gestured excitedly as he explained his plan for New Republic City. 

“It is going to be the most amazing place ever!” They stopped when they realized that the only two seats left were on either side of Katara. There was a free seat next to Toph, too, but she had put her feet up on it, and neither of them wanted to deal with her before breakfast.

“Hey everyone! Hello Katara.” Aang said quietly as he sat next to her. Zuko said nothing, offering her a small smile after giving the table a general greeting. Everyone was eating when Sokka brought up his plan.

“That sounds so fun!” Ty Lee said.

“Yeah. I haven’t just chilled in, like, forever.” Mai slipped back into a less formal register whenever she was with them. “I know a place.”

“How expensive is this place, exactly?”

“We’re living the highlife now, people!” Toph stood on her chair. “We have five nobles at this table, we can afford to splurge on overpriced alcohol. And tea for the other two.” She added as an afterthought.

“You’re still not drinking?” Aang and Zuko looked at her in surprise.

“Why is everyone so surprised?” She threw up her hands. “You all are unbelievable.”

“There’s the Sugar Queen we know and love!” Toph called out.

“Yeah, we thought you’d gotten all mature and reasonable.” Sokka said. “Glad to see you’re still capable of getting annoyed by us.”

“I’ve always been mature and reasonable. Someone has to be. Though you two are enough to drive even sages to their breaking point.”

“Do you remember the look that Earth Kingdom official got on his face when Toph belched at that formal we snuck into?” Aang chuckled.

“Or Master Piandao’s face that first day of sword lessons?” Katara and he started laughing at the expression on the other two’s faces.

“So, I was going to head the weapons exhibition with Toph and Suki.” Sokka announced, hoping to stop where this conversation was going.

“Doomy Buns is coming, too.” Toph interjected.

“I need new knives.” The noblewoman shrugged.

“Well, I’m going to see the buskers.” Aang had always loved street performers. “I made friends with a few of them and they said I could join in today.”

Katara smiled at him. "I was hoping to see the performances too." The break-up had been amicable, but she missed her friend and wanted to make sure there were no hard feelings.

Zuko looked tempted. “I need to do some paperwork.”

“Boo!” Toph shouted. “Go being boring when we’re not here.”

“I hardly think negotiating a trade agreement…”

Toph gave an exaggerated yawn, prompting a giggle from Ty Lee, who promptly brought her hand over her mouth. The sound of muffled giggles was unmistakable, though. “Boring. Iroh said you work too hard and that it is our job to make sure you had fun for whatever small amount of week we have left. So we are going to have fun, even if I have to bend you into a box and drag it out of here.” 

Zuko sighed, resigned. He didn’t look too disappointed, though.

“So it’s settled, we’re spending the day in the city and then meeting back here after dinner for drinks.”

***

“It’ll be a full moon, soon.” Sokka came up behind her. “You excited?”

“Yeah.” Katara took a deep breath, feeling the energy stirring in her core. “I am.”

“Well, if you want to stand here all night staring at the moon, I won’t stop you. But that pot of tea isn’t going to finish itself.”

“Everyone is here already?”

“We just stayed behind for dessert. You make it sound like we travelled to the South Pole and back.”

She walked with him to the turtle duck pond, the two of them teasing as usual. She accepted a tight hug from a slightly drunk Ty Lee before sitting at the edge of the pond. Aang handed her a glass, then pointed to two teapots, “That one is hibiscus for when they drink red wine, and the other is jasmine for when they’re having white”, and she smiled back at him, glad things weren’t awkward anymore.

“Did I miss the party?” Zuko came to sit beside her, having changed out of his formal clothes into a casual tunic. The short sleeves gave her an excellent view of his toned arms. She remembered how it felt to hold them and be held by them. A warm flush spread across her face.

“One bottle does not a party make. Not when its being shared by enough people to make a fireball team. Cheers.” Sokka said as Mai opened the second bottle. Suki handed him an empty glass. Even as he protested, Mai filled the glass so far it almost spilled out. 

“You’re getting double since you missed the first one. Make up for lost liquor.”

“I don’t think that’s the how that saying goes.”

“So I made up a new one. To getting drunk and forgetting childhood trauma.” Mai deadpanned.

“I’ll drink to that.” Zuko raised his glass.

“Bottoms up!” Ty Lee shouted. They all clinked glasses, Katara and Aang chugging their tea in solidarity.

***

Katara had decided that drunk Toph was a bit nicer than sober Toph. Just a bit, but still. The earthbender had caught her messing around with the pond water, making small curls and whorls dance over the surface, and come over. “You’re a very good bender.” She had proclaimed. “Almost as talented as me. Almost, because you didn’t invent a new form of bending. But you can bend blood, which is almost as impressive.”

Sokka was predictably chatty. Even more than usual, which was saying something. Katara tuned him out as he began giving Aang and Suki a very emphatic speech about seal hunting, of all things. The way he was swinging the glass around, it was a miracle he spilled none.

Suki was nodding along sleepily, but her eyes were bright and alert. The way she was looking at Sokka made Katara turn her face, blushing with embarrassment.

Ty Lee and Mai were singing at the top of their lungs. Well, Ty Lee was singing loud enough to wake the dead. Mai’s singing was slightly quieter and slightly more off key.

She turned around, wondering where Zuko had gone off to. He must have gotten up sometime between the last bottle being opened and the song currently being concluded.

Glass in hand, Katara got up.

Aang gave her a concerned look over the top of Sokka’s head. She nodded at him, and his expression cleared. He seemed to actually be paying attention to what her brother was rambling on about.

She found Zuko on the far side of the pond, watching a couple of turtle ducks splashing about. There was a something in his hand, and he was picking off small crumbs to scatter in the water.

“I didn’t realize they were nocturnal.”

He startled, relaxing when he realized it was just her. “They aren’t. I think we woke them up.” He pointed to the bread in his hand. “It’s a small way of apologizing for the noise." Something fluttered in her heart. It was such a considerate thing to do, a glimpse of who he must have been before the pain. "You can help, if you want.”

Katara took the proffered bit of bread and sat down next to him. She picked a few pieces off, gratified that the turtle ducks seemed at ease with her. When three of the smaller ones started squabbling, she used waterbent the lake surface to push a couple of the crumbs further out. Two of them promptly swam after them. Two others swam right to the edge where Katara sat, watching her with little black eyes.

Zuko was also watching her. “They like you.”

“Well, I don’t keep threatening to cook them like certain other people we know.”

Zuko laughed, a throatier guffaw than she normally heard from him. It reminded her of the way Iroh laughed, as if genuinely at ease with the world around him. “No, you don’t.” He gave her a lazy smile. “I used to sit here with my mother, you know. We used to feed them together. Sometimes she comes around and we still do it, but not so much. She doesn’t have a lot of happy memories here.” He sighed. “Neither did I, after she left.”

“She always told me to be gentle with them, that everything that was alive deserved kindness. I’ve tried to live up to what she thought I could be ever since I became Fire Lord. Some of the council wasn’t too keen on what they saw as weakness, then, but things have gotten better. I’ve gotten better, and I have made some nice memories in this place.”

“Like last night?” They grinned at each other. Katara moved closer, leaning against him. “I always thought I had to be tough, to prove to people I was good enough to be considered a warrior. The South Pole was a lot different from the North, but people still thought women should focus on healing and having children. But I realized a long time ago that you can be strong and compassionate. Aang taught me that you don’t always have to sacrifice who you are to become what you want.”

“I like these deep and meaningful conversations we have.” He snuggled closer into her, putting an arm over her shoulders. She curled into his side. His fingers played with her hair, twirling the long brown strands. She could feel his heartbeat under her palm. The stars spread out overhead, like diamonds stitched into the fabric of space. It was beautiful. "

The gentle breeze brushed against their skin, and Katara could feel her eyelids begin to close.

***  
She woke up to the sun beating down on her face. Sleepily, she became aware of a warm arm around her midsection. An equally warm body was pressed against her side, steady breathing ruffling the hairs on top of her head. For a second, Katara had no idea where she was. 

Zuko rolled over when she sat up, then woke up, blinking. “Ugh.” He clutched his head in his hands. “I have a pounding headache. How much did I even drink last night?”

“No idea, but I think the turtle ducks finally went to sleep. They all seem to be gone.” They looked at each other, smiling in the early morning light. "You have dewdrops in your hair." Katara reached out, bending the drops into a little ring. She froze it and let it fall onto his head. "We didn't really have flowers in the South Pole, so I used to make ice crowns." She laughed when it began to melt almost immediately, small streams dripping from his hair. A drop landed right on his nose, making him blink rapidly. Zuko huffed, and a wave of steam suddenly shot from his head. 

"That's one way to wake up. I'd make you a fire crown, but I don't think your hair would much appreciate it." He said drily. Katara reached a hand out to ruffle his now-dry hair, and next thing they knew, both of them were kissing on the grass.

A shout came from behind them. “Cover your innocent eyes, Twinkletoes!” They turned around to see Toph and Aang behind them. Toph had slapped her hand over Aang’s face.

“I’m twenty-two, Toph. I’m not a child.” Aang moved away. “I guess I should have seen this coming.” He smiled at them. “I’m really happy for you two.” He turned to Zuko, “But if you hurt her, I will come for you.”

“I thought the Avatar was a pacifist.” Zuko drawled.

“I don’t kill people or make them suffer cruel and unusual punishments. Everything else, though…” He trailed off humorously. “Seriously, though.”

“Everyone is looking for you lovebirds. You better have a good explanation for why you wandered off together, in the moonlight, while one of you is very clearly drunk.”

“I’m not drunk.” Zuko protested.

“Zip it, Sparky. The giant red splotch on your face says otherwise.”

“Sokka doesn’t know?” Aang asked, grinning.

“No, and don’t you dare tell him.” Katara looked daggers at him.

“Not a chance. This is between you two.” He looked at Toph. “Well, us four.”

“Make that five! Doomy knows, too.”

“She does?” The firebender blanched.

“Yeah, and she was the only one so far to threaten Katara if she broke Zuko’s heart.” Toph told him

“Looks like you have someone in your corner, after all.” Aang patted his back. “Cheer up, I think Sokka is the one you should really be concerned about. He hasn’t exactly reacted in the best way with Katara’s past paramours.”

“He seemed fine with you, though.”

“Yeah, but I’m the Avatar. Also, not a firebender, let alone the Fire Lord himself. Also,” Aang blushed, looking embarrassed. “I think he didn’t think I was too much of an, ahem, er…”

“He knows Twinkletoes is a prude. He’s a vegetarian, for crying out loud.” Toph announced, prompting a slight scowl from Aang. “You, on the other hand, are a firebender. You know what they say about firebenders…” She waggled her eyebrows at them, a satisfied smirk on her face.

“Okay. Ouch.”

“You know what, we’ll cover for you.” Aang offered. “Toph can tell everyone Zuko went to get snacks,” He pointed to the small punnet of bread next to the two of them. “and Katara can just say she went to let off some steam. The full moon is approaching, and you know what they say about waterbenders during the full moon.”

“That’s a load of nonsense. I do not get irrational and strung up once a month just because the moon looks a certain way.”

“I know that, but it works as an excuse right now, doesn’t it?”

“I hate perpetrating the stereotype, though. Can’t I just tell everyone I went to bed? Alone.” She stared pointedly at the snickering earthbender.

“That works, too.” The Avatar shrugged. “Whatever sounds plausible.”

***  
“You’re back!” Ty Lee greeted them enthusiastically. She had fallen asleep against a tree, and the bark had left a red imprint on her cheek and what looked like leaves in her hair. Suki and Sokka wre grumbling to no one in particular, hungover and in desperate need of coffee. Mai somehow managed to look as put together as the night before, but the telltale redness on her face and the pained look in her eyes told a different story. Toph was the only one who didn’t seem to be nursing a terrible hangover. She was as cheerful as ever.

“I brought snacks.”

Sokka and Suki both grabbed the basket, then looked up at him with matching scowls. “You call bread a snack? It isn’t even buttered or toasted!”

“Look, I was in a rush. If you want, we can head back inside and get something from the kitchens.”

“Will there even be people awake at this time?”

“We’re hosting dignitaries from all over the continent. There are people in the kitchens at all hours.”

“Good enough for me.” Suki was on her feet in a second, still agile as ever despite the very strong smell of alcohol on her breath. She reaches out a hand to pull Sokka to his feet.

Everyone trooped into the kitchens together, collapsing in the informal dining room. “I’m going to go see about food.” Zuko announced. “Anyone want to come?”

“I will. I have some hangover remedies I can try to whip up.” Katara ignored Toph’s face.

“Me, too. I refuse to let you go alone after that pathetic spread you pulled last time. Seriously, bread.” Sokka got up, too. He missed the slightly disappointed look that passed between the other two.

“Great.”

They came back in ten minutes bearing a basket of fruit and cheese, biscuits, sandwiches and coffee. Sokka held a plate of reheated meats from last night’s dinner like a trophy. No one was in the mood for a real breakfast.

“Oh, sweet sugar!” Ty Lee bit into a chocolate cookie, her face in rapture.

Mai spread a bit of soft cheese onto a tomato sandwich, her face an intense mask of concentration as the knife wobbled slightly.

Suki and Sokka were going at the coffee like their life depended on it, with Sokka pausing to put down bits of charcuterie. Suki had half a sandwich and a cinnamon cookie in one hand as was nibbling small bites of it.

Toph had a heaping plate of everything in front of her, going at it with the same amount of gusto as normal.

Katara had a couple of containers spread out in front of her and was explaining the process to a yawning Aang. Zuko had his head down, a half-eaten sandwich on the plate in front of him. He kept asking if Katara was done yet.

“There, finished.” Everyone looked dubiously at the murky green substance. “It’s less disgusting if you hold your nose.”

“On the count of three. One, two…” They tipped back the cups, their faces twisted into rictuses of disgust. There was some spluttering.

“Ew, this tastes like Sokka’s socks smell!” Ty Lee looked slightly green. “Why does stuff that’s good for you never taste like ice cream, or cake?” 

“Because ice cream and cake aren’t good for you?” Suki laughed when Ty Lee stuck her tongue out at her, barely holding the expression before beginning to laugh herself.


End file.
